


The Colony

by wanderror



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Angst, Bisexual Lena Luthor, Endgame Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/F, Fluff and Smut, Lesbian Kara Danvers, Post-Apocalypse, Shameless Smut, Slow Burn, Slow Burn Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, Survival, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:13:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26688721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wanderror/pseuds/wanderror
Summary: The first country to fall was the U.S. The rest of the world followed shortly after, and like a domino effect, every other country fell. Russia was the last to fall, which seemed fitting since they were the very cause of the thing that wiped out most of mankind.EKS 13. That's what they called it. An experiment conducted with the sole purpose of testing out a vaccine that would rid humanity of all ailment, and ultimately grant everyone immunity to any disease. It was deemed a success at first, however, that success was short lived.Only a group of people survived in America—the ones who avoided the vaccine—and they gathered in the town of Nelson, in British Columbia. For years they survived and multiplied, creating a brand new society. They called themselves The Colony, lead by a young woman named Kara, who brought them together.orPost apocalyptic alternate universe. A vaccine wipes out almost all of the human race. Kara and Lena are survivors.
Relationships: Kara Danvers & Lena Luthor, Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor
Comments: 42
Kudos: 79





	1. A Figure With A Hood

**Author's Note:**

> I am back with another fic. Bare with me as I write this ride of a story... it's going to be a long one. 
> 
> I'm going to be simultaneously working on finishing my other two fics (which aren't as long), so the updates might be a little slower. 
> 
> This is a slow burn so you won't get smut until later chapters. 
> 
> Your feedback is always appreciated and I read every comment and reply, so come chat with me in the comments! I love to know what the readers think.
> 
> Enjoy! xx

The first country to fall was the U.S. The rest of the world followed shortly after, and like a domino effect, every other country fell. Russia was the last to fall, which seemed fitting since they were the very cause of the thing that wiped out most of mankind.

EKS 13. That's what they called it. An experiment conducted with the sole purpose of testing out a vaccine that would rid humanity of all ailment, and ultimately grant everyone immunity to any disease. It was deemed a success at first, however, that success was short lived.

The elite—those at the very top of the social pyramid—the filthy rich, the people in power, were the first to succumb. They were the first ones to get their hands on the vaccine, the first ones to perish. Riots broke out when governments began to fall. It all became chaos. Those who didn't die from the vaccine, died in the hands of those who wanted to take the newly vacant positions of power. Some of them were fruitful in their pursuit of power, and, promptly, gave birth to a one world government that granted freedom to the evilest of humankind. But even they couldn't escape the wrath of destiny. No man could ever cheat death. The vaccine didn't discriminate. It didn't care, whether you were rich or poor, high on the social latter or at the very bottom, death still came knocking. The only thing that separated one person from the next was time. Your days were numbered, from the moment you received the vaccine, to the moment you died. 

Only a group of people survived in America—the ones who avoided the vaccine—and they gathered in the town of Nelson, in British Columbia. For years they survived and multiplied, creating a brand new society. They called themselves The Colony, led by a young woman named Kara, who brought them together. She created a system that granted equal rights to everyone in The Colony. Everyone's vote counted when it came time to create rules and punishments. Although, very rarely did they have to implement punishment. The Colony was a peaceful place for the most part. There were the occasional quarrels, as is typical in every society—nobody is perfect—but everyone loved each other like a family and their trust for one another was deep-seated by the years they'd spent trying to survive together. 

The one thing they never argued about was that Kara had final say in everything. Everyone trusted her with their lives and had the utmost respect for her. She was their rock, their guide, their leader. To them, Kara could do no wrong. To them, she was perfect and righteous in every way, and they stood behind every decision she made. At times, Kara worried that they regarded her as a God and oftentimes had to remind them of just how human—how imperfect—she really was. Kara wasn't going to lie, she had to remind herself of that fact sometimes too.

After forming The Colony, by the second year, everyone had come up with the roles they would each play in their new civilization. No one was taken for granted, everyone made use of their skills and talents.

Kara related The Colony to a tree and its branches. But these branches had an extension of their own at the end, forming an intricate and infinite web of branches that created the roles in their society. The Colony was a remarkable tree, and like anything remarkable, there were bound to be exceptions, branches that were distinguished from the rest. These distinguishable branches were the ones that kept their society upright and functioning.

Four branches formed the backbone of The Colony: The Arts, The Sciences, The Unity, and The Safeguard.

The Arts was for the creatives; people such as poets and musicians and sculptors. This was the branch most revered by Kara. She was an artist herself—a painter—and maybe she was biased, but The Arts was the most extraordinary of the branches. They brought life and color to an otherwise bleak town. Without them, The Colony’s existence would be grim.

Despite her love and reverence of The Arts, Kara had absolute respect for their second branch, The Sciences. This branch was composed of all the sciences; social, natural, formal, and applied. Doctors, scientists, and engineers were the most prevalent within this branch. Back when things were normal, before the vaccine took everything and everyone from her, Kara’s mother had been a doctor. So this branch was dear to her heart. It kept the memory of her mother alive.

The third, and probably the most important of all, was The Unity branch. The people within this branch were often called Peacemakers or Unifiers. They were the keepers of peace and justice. Like gravity, they kept the colony grounded. A council existed within this branch; they helped Kara make the rules and determine which punishments were just. It was a community of those who had been lawyers and judges and politicians before the fall of the world they once knew. This branch went hand in hand with the fourth branch; The Safeguard. The Safeguard, or The Protectors as some called them, made sure everyone was safe. They were the ones who would go out on supply runs, they kept tabs on weapons—though there hadn’t been any need for them—and on rare instances they’d recruit people they found outside The Colony. They were well trained soldiers; strong men and women with physical abilities beyond the norm. Kara had a few of them designated to protect her at all costs. She moved, they moved.

These four branches were an important foundation for keeping everyone alive, healthy, and happy. A society could never function without at least a little order. Nonetheless, Kara didn’t insert herself in anyone’s personal lives—ever. Everyone in The Colony was free to come and go as they pleased. They were their own people and had full autonomy over themselves. The only rule they unquestionably had to follow:

DO NOT KILL ANOTHER HUMAN.

It was at the very top of the list of rules that hung on the pole of a streetlamp in front of Kara’s home. Breaking this rule was unforgivable.

Since the day Kara arrived in Nelson, she had taken up residence in an old brick building that was once a museum of art and history.

For years, Kara followed the same daily routine. She’d wake up, brush her teeth, get dressed, make coffee and eggs for breakfast, and sit on a table she’d placed in front of the museum; that’s where she’d eat her breakfast and read old newspapers she found around town. Afterwards, she’d check in with the council to make sure everything was up to par. She’d walk around town for a bit, and usually, depending on the day, she’d visit a friend or two and sometimes had lunch with them. After lunch, she would go back home to spend the rest of the day hiding away in her library—her favorite place in the world. Kara had amassed quite an impressive collection of books over the years, and so she turned the tower of the old building into a library. She built a reading nook by the window facing one of the streets, and on most days, she’d lose herself in one of her favorite books and wouldn’t come out of whatever world she was in until sunset.

For the longest time, life in The Colony was mundane, unremarkable and familiar, and pretty much everyone lived by routine—for the most part.

However, that all changed on a particularly dark and stormy night, when a figure with a hood stood at the entrance of town. It was nearly midnight and the citizens of the colony were indoors. The only ones who remained outside were the guards that stood by their posts every night.

“State your business,” one of the guards said. He was a tall man with an eyepatch—Jimmy was his name—and he had rugged features and large strong hands that could crush a single skull. He wore a white shirt and camo pants and carried a revolver. His pose was menacing, sending warning to the stranger before him. This was the first time anyone had appeared at their entrance of their own volition. Although the town wasn’t difficult to find, nobody ever came their way. Nobody ever joined The Colony unless recruited by The Safeguard out on runs, not because they couldn’t, but because up until that day, nobody had ever showed up. The Safeguard oftentimes found recruits far away, in distant towns.

“I’m just passing through. I hoped I could find a place to rest for the night,” the stranger said.

Jimmy held his threatening stance. The stranger sighed annoyingly and removed their hood, revealing a woman with long, chocolate waves gleaming with rainwater and green, piercing eyes. Under her eyes, dark circles stood out against porcelain skin. She looked malnourished.

“I can assure you, I am no threat,” the woman said.

Jimmy’s features visibly relaxed and his pose changed from menacing to cocky. His eyes scanned the woman before him with a hunger that made her uncomfortable. While her thinness made her look unhealthy, she was still strikingly beautiful, and Jimmy couldn’t keep his eyes off her.

“You can stay with me tonight, sweetheart,” he smiled and winked at her. The other guards burst out into laughter.

“Jimmy, can you be any less of a creep?” One of the other guards said.

“Yeah, Jim, leave the poor girl alone.”

They all laughed in unison, like a bunch of schoolyard bullies. The woman turned around to leave.

“Wait a minute, sweetheart,” Jimmy said, grabbing her hand.

Before he could do or say anything else, the woman had a pistol pressed against his forehead. Jimmy’s eyes nearly fell out of their sockets in surprise. The rest of the guards pointed their guns at her.

“Drop your guns or I will blow his brains out!” The woman shouted.

“Easy there,” one of the guards said.

“I said drop your guns!” She cocked her pistol.

They all did as they were told.

“Good... now that I have your attention... you are going to turn around and I am going to leave. And, so help me god, if any of you assholes make even the slightest move, I will kill each and every one of you. Got it?”

Their eyes went wide at her threat. All of them turned around and put their hands above their heads in surrender.

“What is the meaning of this?” A woman with auburn hair and bright, brown eyes stood before them, pointing a gun at the stranger who held a gun against her friend. Her name was Alex and she was Kara’s closest friend and confidant, practically her sister.

“Ask these assholes!” The stranger spat out, pressing the gun harder against Jimmy’s forehead.

“Miss... I need you to calm down. I’m sure there’s been a misunderstanding.”

“No misunderstanding here. I am perfectly capable of reading a man’s ill intentions. And if your friend here hadn’t put his hands on me, this could have been avoided.”

Alex glared at the men. “Really? I leave you idiots alone for a few minutes and you pull this crap?”

A silent understanding passed between the two women. Alex looked at the woman apologetically.

“I don’t want any trouble. I was just passing through and needed a place to stay. I will leave now,” the woman said.

“Please, stay the night. You can’t wander off in this storm. I can assure you no harm will come to you here. I promise you, Jimmy will not get away with this. You must stay and stand before The Council in the morning. I’m Alex. What’s your name, miss?” Alex said.

“Lena.”

“Lena… follow me. And”—Alex turned to one of the guards—“Jakob, please escort Jimmy to his home. Have two guards posted there tonight in case he thinks about doing something stupid.” Alex turned to Jimmy with a look of disgust on her face. “When Kara hears about this, she won’t be happy, James. You’re in big trouble.”

Jimmy scowled at both women, but kept quiet. He didn’t dare stand off against Alex. Everybody in The Colony knew that, second to Kara, Alex was top gun. Whenever Kara went away on runs with the guards, Alex was left in charge.

Lena got in a truck with Alex. They drove for a few miles. Lena took the town in. There were streetlamp’s round every corner, flower beds in front of almost every house, the streets weren’t nearly as dilapidated as the ones outside the town gates, in fact, they were almost smooth. Despite the emptiness of the town due to the weather, it was obvious that people resided here. That people called this home. And Lena suddenly felt a bit comforted by the knowledge that she had found such a place.

For years she had been surviving alone, trying to keep away from strangers in fear that their intentions were less than honorable. But then she came upon the gates of Nelson, and something inside her told her that it was okay to come in. Obviously that feeling hadn’t lasted too long, what with the incident that happened with Jimmy… but now she was starting to feel it again; a hope that maybe she’d find a place where she could set some roots down, or at the very least call home for a few months, because she was exhausted, spent from all the traveling, and oh so lonely. She hadn’t had human contact in such a long time.

“We’re still working on getting power to all of the houses and buildings… so you’ll stay with Kara for a few days… if you decide to stay, that is,” said Alex.

“This Kara you speak of… is she your leader?”

“Yes. She’s the one who brought us all here. Kara and some of the men and women of The Council were the original founding members of The Colony. More people started joining us throughout the years… you should ask Kara to tell you more. She tells the story better than I do.” Alex smiled kindly at the brunette as they approached the old brick building. “Well... this is it.”

“Kara lives here? By herself?”

“Yes,” Alex said as she got out of the car. Lena followed her. “She’s a bit of a recluse at times. She loves her alone time. Besides, we all have our own homes. Hers just happens to be an entire building.” Alex knocked on the door.

They stood there waiting for a few minutes, but Kara didn’t come to the door.

Alex knocked again.

Still, no answer.

“That’s strange. She’s usually a very light sleeper...” said Alex.

“Alex!” someone called.

Both women turned around.

“Nia?” Alex questioned. The rain was starting to come down harder. Alex took one good look at Nia and immediately knew something was wrong. “What’s happened?” she said, worry apparent on her face.

The girl, Nia, was tall and had hair as black as a raven’s wing and eyes so dark they looked like onyx stones. She was shaking. “It—it’s Kara...” Nia’s voice was cracking at the edges. “She’s hurt. Someone… someone shot her.”

“Do we know who did this?” Alex said. She looked like she was going to kill someone.

“We don’t know yet... Alex, you know what this means, don’t you? We have a traitor in here. There’s no other explanation. We found her on Baker street,” said Nia.

“Why was she alone, Nia? Your sole job is to protect her. Where were you and Maggie?” Alex seemed calm, but on the inside she was burning with rage.

“You know how she is, Alex.” Nia was nervous. It was obvious that she was scared of Alex. “She snuck off. Nothing new. And when we realized she was gone, we went to look for her. Winn was already coming to get us.”

“Where is she? Take me to her,” Alex said. Her voice was shaky. She made for the car without saying anything else. Nia and Lena followed.

“She’s in the hospital. Eliza is extracting the bullet as we speak. She sent me to get you,” Nia said.

“You guys have a hospital? A functioning one?” Lena asked.

Alex didn’t respond, so Nia spoke: “Yes. It was something we worked on for two years. We managed to get the power back up and running the first year, and then we worked on getting supplies and fixing it up. It was all thanks to Kara and Eliza… Eliza is Alex’s mom. She’s our only surgeon. We have plenty of nurses and physicians, but no other surgeons. So you can imagine how much she’s valued here.”

Lena wanted to comment that she was a scientist. A brilliant one at that. Lena was the youngest woman and one of the top scientists working for the CDC before the vaccine began wiping out humankind. She had a double major in biochemical engineering and robotics. While she was no surgeon, she had created nanotechnology that could replace surgeons in the operating room, thus making her an asset. She had been present in many record breaking surgeries and knew the human body like the back of her hand.

She wanted to mention all this, but then she’d have to answer questions. It was always unavoidable. Lena Luthor, girl genius; always the subject of conversation. That topic would inevitably lead to the million dollar question: did she know how this all happened? And the truth was that, yes, indeed she did. As a matter of fact, she was one of the scientists involved in creating the vaccine.

The EKS 13 experiment had been the product of negotiations between the U.S and Russia. Russia wanted to create the vaccine and the U.S sent their top scientists to help. Lena had been one of those scientists. Lena had been the one with the breakthrough. What she had created was nothing short of a miracle. She had done extensive human trials over the years, all of which concluded positively. Not a single trace of evidence had led her to believe that the vaccine could end up with the subject’s death. She knew what she had created was incapable of causing humans such harm. Which is why she was so confused when she heard about the first case: a man in his early thirties coughing up blood and collapsing to his death.

Later she found out that Russia had tried adding unnatural physical abilities into the mix. They didn’t want a vaccine to help humanity. They wanted to help themselves. They wanted power at any cost. They wanted an army of super humans.

Lena could not disclose this information. She had finally found a place where she could rest and possibly turn into a permanent home. She wasn’t willing to risk it. Lena knew that as soon as she told anyone that she had a hand in what happened, they’d kick her out of this place. Or worse.

“We’re here.” Alex pulled Lena away from her thoughts.

That was fast, Lena thought.

The three women made their way inside the hospital. There were guards everywhere and the hospital was filled with people; nurses and other staff. It reminded Lena of the world she once knew. It all felt so… normal. Stepping into the hospital was like stepping back in time. If this Kara that she had heard of helped build all this, she must be one hell of a special person—one hell of a leader.

In all of her trek through America, Lena hadn’t seen anything like this place. The towns she’d passed through were all abandoned, and the ones with life in them were composed of humans barely surviving, living like wild animals. She had even come across a group of cannibals once and had to sneak her way past them.

Suffice to say, Lena was awestruck with how mundane it felt to be inside that hospital.

They walked through the hospital and crossed into the west wing, where an older blonde woman was standing in front of a large double door, seemingly expecting them.

Alex immediately ran to her. “Mom, how’s Kara?” She hugged the woman.

Eliza had a look of concern and fear. “We managed to remove the bullet. It didn’t hit any major organs, however, she’s lost a lot of blood and needs a transfusion. We’re trying to find someone that can donate as quickly as possible. But no one here is O Negative. We will have to make an announcement on the comms and hopefully someone in town will volunteer to donate, but”—

“I’ll donate.” Lena cut Eliza off. “I’m O Negative.”

Eliza and Alex sighed in relief.

“Oh, thank God,” said Alex.

Eliza nodded and offered Lena a grateful smile. “Please follow me,” she said in her soft and delicate voice.

* * *

Four hours later, Lena sat in one of the waiting rooms with Nia when Alex came to get them. Alex had been with her mother assisting in the transfusion.

As soon as Nia saw Alex round the corner, she asked: “How’s Kara?”

“She’s stable and awake. Actually, she’s been awake for the past hour… I was keeping her company. We spoke a bit and”—Alex faced Lena—“she wants to meet you, Lena. I told her it could wait, but she wants to talk to you… to determine if you can stay,” she said.

Lena arched her eyebrow. “She just got shot and had surgery… I think talking can wait, don’t you think?”

Alex sighed. “Yes. I agree with you, but you’ll come to find out that Kara is very stubborn. And she doesn’t like being told what to do. She also hates feeling weak, and if we push this, she’ll just walk out of that room and do what she wants anyways. So just… talk to her… besides… I’m sure you’re dying for a warm shower and a nice bed.”

Lena nodded. “Alright. Lead the way.” She turned to Nia. “Are you coming?”

“I’ll go see her later. You go ahead,” Nia said, smiling warmly at Lena. Before Lena could leave, Nia grabbed her forearm softly. “Hey, thanks. For donating. Kara means a lot to all of us here… so thank you. You saved her life.”

Lena grabbed the woman’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “It’s really no problem. I’m just glad I could help.”

“I’ll see you later…” Nia said. Lena nodded and turned around to follow Alex. “Oh, and Lena,” Nia called. Lena turned around. “I hope you’ll consider staying.”

Lena just smiled and walked away with Alex.

When Lena entered Kara’s room, she froze.

She had expected Kara to be older, for some reason. Much older.

She hadn’t expected Kara to be so young, so incredibly stunning.

My God, this woman was beautiful. Even as she lay there in that decrepit hospital bed, she was the most attractive woman Lena had ever seen. Her hair was long, in soft honey blonde waves over her shoulder. Her skin was golden like the summertime and she had eyes that made the blue sky dull in comparison. Her lips looked like rose petals frozen by the cruel cold of winter, but nonetheless the beauty in them remained untouched and you could see the softness underneath the harshness of chapped skin.

Kara seemed to be just as enthralled as Lena. Her gaze felt like a current of electricity running up Lena’s spine.

Alex cleared her throat and both women were instantly pulled out of, what seemed to have been, a private moment shared between the two. “Uh… Lena, this is Kara… Kara… this is Lena.”

Kara shot Lena a welcoming smile. “Hi, Lena. It’s very nice to meet you. Would you like to sit down?” The blonde looked at the chair next to the bed.

Lena just nodded and walked over and sat on the chair, positioning it to fully face Kara’s bed.

“Alex, please leave us,” said Kara.

Alex nodded. “If you need anything, I’ll be right outside,” she said as she walked out of the room.

Lena tore her focus from the door and looked up to find Kara staring intently at her. “Where are you from?” Kara asked.

Lena kept eye contact. “Oh, you know… here and there,” she said slyly. “I’m not really from anywhere anymore. I don’t think any of us are.”

Kara’s expression was unreadable. “I meant before this all happened. Where were you from?”

“Why is that important?”

“It’s not. I was just curious. I don’t mean this in a bad way, but… you have a bit of an accent. It’s like nothing I’ve ever heard before. I don’t want to assume, but I’m guessing you’re not from here?” Kara smiled shyly.

“Oh.” Lena chuckled and Kara’s smile grew wider. “I was born in the states, but my mother was Irish. I went to boarding school in Ireland so I picked up a bit of the accent and over the years it just became this weird combination of an American and Irish accent,” Lena explained.

“That’s pretty awesome.” Kara tried to move so she could face Lena directly and winced.

Lena immediately stood up. “You can’t move.”

Kara looked at Lena sheepishly. “I know. I forgot for a moment… could you—do you mind lifting this up? I just want to sit up straighter.”

“Yes, of course.” Lena adjusted Kara’s bed. “Is this okay?”

Kara was staring at Lena again with the same fixed look as before. “Where did you live? Before the fall.”

“Atlanta,” Lena answered. She chose to let go of the fact that Kara had completely ignored her question.

“And what did you do for a living? Did you always live in Atlanta?”

Lena furrowed her brows. The odd look on Kara’s face was slowly forming into suspicion. “Why are you asking about my past in the old world? I thought we were just supposed to talk to determine if I get to stay here or not… why does it suddenly feel like you’re interrogating me?”

“Just answer the questions,” Kara said seriously.

Lena sighed in frustration and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I don’t want to talk about my past. Ask me anything you want, but please—the old world is gone and so was the person I was in it. I have been on my own since. Look”—Lena stared at Kara pleadingly—I’m exhausted and I just need a place to rest. I could be out of your hair before the day’s end.”

Kara’s face softened a bit, but she still had that look that Lena couldn’t quite decipher. “Lena…” The blonde motioned for Lena to sit back down. “Sit.”

Lena didn’t sit. She crossed her arms and arched her eyebrow.

Kara sighed. “I need to know what you did for a living, because I need to figure out where to place you if you decide to stay.” She went on to explain the branches of The Colony and the rules of their society. Kara explained to Lena that everyone had a role, a part to play in order to keep their town functioning.

Lena understood all of this, of course she did. But she didn’t want to risk anyone finding out who she was. She wasn’t exactly a nobody in the old world. If Lena were to drop her last name, someone was bound to put two and two together, especially after having revealed to Kara where she resided before the fall. Lena could tell Kara was a smart woman and would undeniably figure things out.

“I was a science teacher,” Lena lied. She didn’t want to, but she had no choice.

“Why are you lying?”

Lena was surprised. “I… I’m not…”

“One thing you should know about me, Lena, is that I am excellent at reading people. And I know you’re not telling me the truth. So my question is: why? Why are you so adamant about hiding who you were? Were you a criminal? Is that why?” Kara said. She seemed a bit frustrated now.

The insinuation that Lena was a criminal was, quite frankly, offensive and ridiculous and it made Lena angry. Lena knew she was being a bit irrational, but she couldn’t help it. Who did this woman think she was? Why was she so interested in Lena’s past? Lena wanted to ask, but instead she did the most illogical thing she could think of and headed for the door.

Kara immediately called out for her: “Lena, wait…” The blonde sighed heavily and something in the tone of her voice made Lena turn around to look at her.

Kara looked… conflicted?

“I know who you are,” said Kara.

_Fuck._


	2. A Better World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena stays at the hospital with Kara.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... how's everybody doing? 
> 
> I wasn't going to upload today, but I figured, why the hell not? 
> 
> I'm glad you guys like the fic so far. Thank you for all the wonderful comments. 
> 
> Enjoy! xx

_“I know who you are.”_

Lena stopped breathing.

A long silence bounced off the white walls of the hospital room accompanied by the echo of Kara’s heart monitor. The blonde’s heart was racing just as fast as Lena’s.

It had been a long time since Lena had felt fear. And in that moment, she remembered how horrible the feeling was.

A thousand scenarios crossed her mind in that instant. She saw Kara calling the guards to arrest her. She saw them throwing her in a cell somewhere to rot. She saw herself standing before The Council she had yet to meet, and being forced to recount her past; reliving the guilt she had felt when the vaccine she had the biggest part in creating began killing humans. She imagined The Council enacting the worst kinds of punishments; she saw herself being burned, hung, shot, guillotined or tortured to death.

A thousand scenarios crossed her mind.

But none of them came even remotely close to what actually happened.

“I was a huge fan of your work in the old world, Ms. Luthor,” Kara said.

Lena was dumbstruck. “Y-you were?”

“I was… my mother”—Kara looked down and played with her fingers nervously—“my mother was a doctor. When she read about your nanotechnology, she couldn’t stop talking about you. She was a huge fan. And I guess it rubbed off, cause I would look you up every time you came up with something new. I was captivated by your work. You did so much for humanity. You’re an incredible woman, Lena.” Kara smiled shyly. “I can’t believe you’re here… I think you could do so much good for The Colony… we could set you up with your own lab… would—is that something you’d like? Can you stay?”

Kara didn’t know. Of course Kara didn’t know.

And Kara wasn’t asking the million dollar question.

Lena visibly relaxed, but part of her wished she could tell Kara. Part of her wished she could share her deepest regret, her darkest secret, with anyone, really. Even if just a single person. It was tiresome living with this kind of guilt. It chipped away at Lena’s soul daily.

Lena wanted to say yes to Kara right away. But she was guarded. She didn’t know how Kara would react if she found out what Lena did.

Kara sensed the trepidation. “You don’t have to give me an answer right now. Stay for a few days and then you can decide. Does that sound good to you?”

Lena nodded. “Alright. I’ll think about it.”

“Good. Now that that’s out of the way... I wanted to talk to you about James. Alex told me what happened.”

Kara explained to Lena that they had to meet with The Council in a few days, as soon as Kara was able to attend. They agreed that Lena would stay with her after Lena insisted she wanted to help Kara until she was recovered enough to handle things on her own. Kara had rebuffed the offer at first; this was typical of her, seeing as she didn’t like to feel incompetent (her words, not Lena’s), but Lena managed to convince the blonde. _“It’s the least I could do. You’re letting me stay at your place,” Lena had said._

After they discussed the formalities of Lena’s stay, the two women chatted for a while. Lena came to find that Kara was very easy to talk to. She made Lena feel like they’d known each other for years; talking with Kara felt like catching up with an old friend.

Kara was a phenomenal woman. She had been alone when the old world fell. For about ayear, she traveled across America by herself. After a while, she began picking up strangers along the way. She met Winn and Nia in Arizona; they were living in an apartment above an old bar. Kara stayed with them there for a few weeks before deciding it was time to hit the road again. Winn and Nia instantly agreed to stick with her. On their way to Oregon, they picked up Alex and Maggie in Nevada. They found Jimmy and his best friend’s Clark and Jakob in Washington. After months in Washington, Kara met a woman named Sam who was traveling with her daughter Ruby. They became fast friends and after a while Kara convinced Sam and the rest of the group to move to Vancouver.

In the old world, Vancouver had been one of the first cities to go completely off grid; they had built a solar panel plant that powered the entire city. Funnily enough, Lena had worked on those solar panels. She was part of the group of scientists and engineers who developed a self cleaning system that prevented outages during months of snow. Thanks to Lena, those solar panels were self-sustainable for the next fifty years.

When Kara and the group arrived in Vancouver, they found people scattered around the city.Because of Kara, they came together to form a community and fixed the city, making it livable again. For over a year, they all worked on getting the city in top shape for a brand new society. They searched for more people in other cities and towns and soon their group grew into a few dozen.

During one of her travels, Kara came upon the town of Nelson. She fell in love with the charming town. And so she convinced her newfound family to settle down there. Some stayed in Vancouver and they’d travel to Nelson on occasion. Kara kept a base in the city and would constantly communicate with her Vancouver family, and after two years, their family had grown into a few hundred between Vancouver and Nelson. Kara then created The Council, The Rules and The Branches to keep a system of order. But she wanted it to be different from the governments of the old world.

“I want to learn from our past mistakes. I want the new world to be different. We should get it right this time. Even if it’s the last thing I do before I die… but I will create a better world,” Kara said.

The blonde lay on the bed, looking up at the ceiling, while Lena just stared at her in awe.

Kara was really something special. A natural born leader. And the most interesting part of all was that she had never been in any position of power in the old world. She was a painter. Made a living off of it back then, too.

Maybe that was what the new world needed. A leader that had never led. A woman who wasn’t power hungry, who just wanted a kinder world.

Kara gave Lena hope. She made Lena believe that maybe, just maybe, it was possible to shape such a world where humans coexisted in peace and harmony, without any prejudice or hunger for power.

But despite the hope in her heart, Lena also knew better. She was a logical woman, after all. The future that Kara envisioned, the utopia she wished to create, was nearly impossible to bring into existence.

Humans were such fallible creatures.

Lena wanted to tell Kara to not be so naive, but she couldn’t bring herself to shatter the hope so clear in Kara’s eyes.

So instead, Lena said: “I know we just met, but I think that if anyone can do it, it’s you.” Sometimes telling a small lie was the kind thing to do, Lena thought.

And it wasn’t like that was a complete lie. Lena did believe Kara could achieve bringing forth a new age, but for how long it would last was a different story. Lena didn’t think such a world would last longer than a few years before mankind became power hungry again.

“That means a lot. Thank you, Lena.” Kara smiled weakly through tired eyes.

Lena realized that Kara must have been exhausted from all the talking. “Kara… you should get some rest.”

“I’m fine,” said Kara, yawning.

Lena chuckled. “I’m going to get Alex.” She walked to the door before Kara had a chance to protest.

Lena walked out of the hospital room and spotted Alex down the hall talking to Nia—who’s back was facing Lena. Alex noticed Lena walking towards them.

“How is she?” Alex asked.

Nia turned around to face Lena.

“She’s really tired. But she says she’s fine. I told her I’d come get you.”

Alex nodded and smiled. “I know Nia said it earlier, but I was too busy panicking to say it… so, thank you. We’re really grateful for your help.” Alex offered her hand for Lena to shake and Lena shook it. “Listen… I already gave the orders to fix a house for you. It might take a few days, so Kara has instructed me to drive you back to her place.”

“And what about Kara?”

“My mom wants to keep her here until tomorrow, just in case,” Alex said.

For some odd reason, Lena didn’t want to leave Kara. “I’d rather stay here, if that’s okay with you.”

Alex and Nia shot Lena curious looks.

“Uh… yeah… okay. Yeah. Sure,” said Alex. She cleared her throat. “There’s a shower in Kara’s room. I can get you clothes.”

“That won’t be necessary. I have clean clothes in my backpack.”

Alex and Nia had unreadable expressions on their faces.

“Alright then. It’s settled… but if you need anything, feel free to ask Nia. She will be here. I have to get back to my post now, but I will be back later. I’ll tell Eliza to come check up on Kara.” Alex turned to Nia. “Nia, please get a cot for Ms. Luthor to sleep on.” Alex winked at Lena.

Lena’s eyes widened in surprise, but she immediately schooled her reaction. “You know who I am,” she said seriously.

“I grew up with surgeon’s as parents, Lena… of course I know who you are. I remembered your face from a magazine article my mother showed me once. Let’s just say, Kara isn’t your only fan,” Alex said sheepishly. “Nia… don’t forget Lena’s cot. And Lena… tell Kara I’ll be back later. Again, thank you. If you need anything just ask.”

“I will,” Lena said as Alex turned to leave. “Hey, Alex… did you guys figure out who did this?”

Alex turned back around to face Lena. She had a grim expression. “We’re working on it.” With that, she left.

Lena stayed in the hall talking to Nia for a bit. She figured she’d give Kara more time to fall asleep.

“So… will you be staying with us?” Nia asked.

“I don’t know yet.”

“Well, I think you should. From what Alex told me about you… it seems like we could really use your help here. Medicine is scarce these days. With you on Eliza’s team—I can’t even begin to imagine what you guys can do for this place.” Nia smiled and it was genuine. Lena could tell that if she stayed in The Colony, Nia and her would be fast friends. “Just… think about it, okay?” Nia added.

Lena nodded once and said: “Kara beat you to it.” Lena smirked. “I told her I’d think about it.

“Good. Now… go shower. You reek,” Nia said playfully.

Lena giggled. “Gee, thanks.”

“I’ll go get your cot while you shower.”

“Thanks, Nia.”

Nia smiled and walked away.

Lena walked into the hospital room to find a sleeping Kara. She looked so peaceful, so soft and beautiful. Lena couldn’t help but stand there a few minutes admiring the woman.

Kara’s head was slightly turned to the side, lips somewhat parted, and her chest was rising and falling slowly, revealing a steady heartbeat.

Lena hadn’t been in a hospital in so long, it almost felt like being back in Atlanta. The sounds reminded her of a world long lost now revived. It was strange, how the sounds of machines sounded like home to her.

Lena suddenly felt a wave of nostalgia consume her. She brought her fingers to her cheeks and caught the droplets of tears that cascaded down like dewdrops on leaves. She inhaled her sorrow and gathered her thoughts, concealing the sadness inside microscopic boxes that she stored deep in her psyche.

Lena opened her backpack and grabbed a change of clothes. She headed to the bathroom and turned the shower faucet to the warmest setting and stripped as she let the water heat up.

The woman in the mirror was barely recognizable. She was paler and thin, way too thin. Her hair looked dull and dead at the ends; it had been too long since she had a haircut.

The woman in the mirror had bruises from sleeping on rough ground, and scratches from cutting through the forest.

The woman in the mirror was ugly.

The woman in the mirror wasn’t her.

Lena tore her eyes from the mirror and got in the shower. She let the water wash away her insecurities and she drowned out the voices in her head with the sound. The water sounded like a waterfall and Lena pictured herself in Iceland; she was in Gullfoss Falls, standing on the cliff and watching the water vanish into thin air.

When she finished showering, she heard the voice of a man as she turned off the faucet. She quickly dressed and gathered her belongings, not even bothering with her hair.

As she stepped out of the bathroom, unfamiliar cobalt blue eyes looked her way.

“Uh… hello,” Lena said.

“Lena, this is Clark.” Kara was awake. Lena had been so caught up in the stranger's intense gaze, she hadn’t noticed the blonde.

Clark’s gaze softened and he extended his hand for Lena to shake. “Hello. I suppose I have you to thank for saving my best friend.” His smile was dashing. He was quite the handsome man.

“I think Eliza deserves all the credit. I just had to sit while they poked me with a needle.” Lena smiled back as she shook Clark’s hand.

A chuckle escaped the man. “I suppose you’re right about that.”

Lena turned to Kara, still smiling, and she caught the blonde watching their interaction with a serious expression. As soon as Lena’s eyes met the stormy blues of Kara’s gaze, the blonde looked away.

Clark cleared his throat and spoke again, this time more serious: “Hey, I’m really sorry about Jimmy. He drank a lot last night. It’s not like him to do that… grab a woman, I mean”—

“Don’t make excuses for him, Clark,” Kara said through gritted teeth, cutting him off. She had her hands in fists on either side of her thighs.

“I’m not”—

“No.” Kara cut him off again. “There’s no excuse for what he did. I don’t grab women or make unwanted advances when I’m drunk. I know better, even when I’m intoxicated.”

“Uh… it’s fine. Really. I might have overreacted.” Lena was exhausted and the last thing she wanted was to watch these two go at it because of her.

Kara gawked at Lena. “So you lied? He didn’t grab you? He didn’t try to stop you from leaving?”

Lena could tell Kara was trying to make a point. “No. Of course not—I mean, I didn’t lie.”

“Exactly. You didn’t lie. Jimmy was way out of line and The Council will have a lot to say about it,” Kara said calmly.

Lena had a feeling that what Kara actually meant to say was: _I will have a lot to say about it._

Clark and Lena didn’t say anything else on the matter, choosing to drop it to avoid getting Kara upset. The woman had been shot, after all. This was not the time for her to get all worked up about the topic.

Lena knew Kara was just looking out for her. Hell, she would do the same if any man treated any woman like Jimmy had treated her. He had behaved like a total prick, and, intoxication or not, it was no excuse.

In all honesty, Lena just wanted to get rid of Clark as soon as possible so that she could go to sleep.

And by the looks of it, Kara needed sleep as well.

“Clark, how is the investigation coming along? Any clues as to who did this?” Kara asked.

“None at all, Kar. But I can assure you I am working on it. I have my best team assigned to the investigation, and rest assured, this is top priority right now. We will catch whoever did this.” Clark had determination written all over his face.

Clark filled Kara in on what was going on outside the walls of the hospital. They had blocked every entrance into town and nobody could get in or out. Kara didn’t like it; she didn’t like the idea of keeping her people prisoners in their own homes, but Clark assured her it was the only way.

The Council had already been informed of everything, including what had happened with Jimmy. They were just waiting for Kara to recover in order to call a meeting.

Once Kara was up to date on other matters Lena didn’t much care for, Clark said his goodbyes.

As soon as Clark was out the door, Kara looked at Lena expectantly.

“Is there something you need, Kara?”

“You stayed,” Kara stated.

Lena walked over to the chair next to Kara’s bed and sat down. “I did.”

“Why?”

Kara was staring at her with an intensity that made Lena’s anxiety shoot through the roof. “Uhm.” Lena swallowed hard. “I didn’t want to sleep in a huge, old, and probably haunted building all by myself. What year did that thing get built anyway? The 1900’s?”

Kara was visibly amused. “1902, actually. And it is most definitely haunted. There’s a particularly pesky ghost I can’t get rid of… I’ve named him Billy.” Kara was obviously joking, but Lena couldn’t help the tinge of fear that crept up inside her.

Lena Luthor was not fond of ghosts. No matter how much she told herself she didn’t believe in them.

“I was kidding, Lena.” Kara smirked. “However, now I’m intrigued… is the great Lena Luthor afraid of ghosts? I didn’t even think you believed in them.”

“What? No! I don’t… I mean, I don’t not believe in them…” Lena ran her fingers through her hair, a nervous habit. “Look, I don’t rule anything out anymore. If you would have told me ten years ago that the world was going to end… well, I wouldn’t have believed you. Yet here we are… so, no, I don’t believe in ghosts, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I’ve ruled them out.”

Kara laughed and winced from the pain. “Shit. I keep forgetting I got shot. Ugh.”

Lena felt bad for making Kara laugh. “Do you need anything? Is there something I can do?”

“Thank you, Lena. But I’m okay right now.” Kara smiled dopily. “The meds are starting to kick in. Eliza came in while you were in the shower to give me some painkillers. She said they’d knock me out. And I gotta say… I’m feeling them.”

Lena chuckled. “Well, sleepyhead… I think it’s time for bed, don’t you think?” Lena walked over to the cot. “I don’t know about you… but I am exhausted.”

“Hey, Lena…” Kara called.

Lena turned around to face a shy Kara. “What is it?”

“Can you—would you mind helping me fix my pillow?”

Lena smiled and walked over to Kara. She lifted Kara from the pillow carefully and adjusted it to Kara’s liking. Kara watched her, gaze never leaving Lena’s face. And when Lena looked down to make eye contact, she caught Kara staring at her lips.

“You’re pretty,” Kara said with a dopey grin.

Lena smiled down at her, blushing profusely. The blonde was clearly on some heavy painkillers. “Alright, you… get some sleep, okay? Wake me if you need anything.”

Kara’s eyes were already shutting and she nodded lazily. “Okay… good… night…” she said, yawning.

Lena felt a warmth seep through her bones. “Goodnight, Kara,” she whispered.

As soon as Lena’s head hit the pillow, she let out a long sigh of relief; she felt lighter and relaxed.

After days and days of travel by foot, she finally had a warm surface to lay on.

Lena honed in on Kara’s soft little snores, and that, along with the sounds of the machines, soon had her dozing off.

She dreamt of a better world that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How'd you guys like this chapter? 
> 
> Here's what's up next: 
> 
> The Council meeting happens, and we get to find out if Lena's going to stay in The Colony. The search for the shooter continues. 
> 
> Btw, there will be a bit of fluff in chapter three, but after that, y'all better prepare. Chapter 4 and beyond are... how do I put it? A WILD RIDE.  
> You guys have no idea what's coming.

**Author's Note:**

> So... thoughts? (:


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